ORLANDO, Fla. — They were one of the first professional ballet companies in the U.S. to return to the stage amid the pandemic.

And now, with many safety protocols like masks still in place, it’s time for Orlando Ballet dancers to lace up their pointe shoes.

“I feel like every time I come for a new season, it’s so nice to be back and just like have a routine again," said Kate-Lynn Robichaux, a dancer with Orlando Ballet.

This week, dancers donned masks, hit hand sanitizing stations scattered throughout Harriett's Orlando Ballet Centre and returned to rehearse for their impending performance of The Jungle Book.

According to the ballet company, the coronavirus mitigation strategies they employed over the course of the past year were successful: they had no COVID-19 outbreaks among dancers or staff.

The new season comes with leadership changes, as longtime artistic director, Robert Hill, stepped down after 13 years and Jorden Morris, the company's Choreographer-in-Residence steps up to serve as guest artistic director.

“When the opportunity came up to take them through this season, which I’m involved in quite heavily, it was just a wonderful opportunity for me to take," said Morris. "[I'm] so glad to be here."

And with many ballet companies still out of work, dancers like Robichaux see the season as an opportunity to get back to a semblance of normal, doing what she loves most.

“This is where I spend most of my time," she said. "It feels like home."

Orlando Ballet will perform The Jungle Book in early October at the Dr. Phillips Center. Tickets are available online.